Santa Claus parades are parades held in some countries, but above all in North America, to celebrate the official opening of the Christmas season with the arrival of Santa Claus. Santa Claus parades usually include themed floats, dancing or marching groups and bands playing Christmas songs. The parade is a moving pageant that ends near the center of a city. Oftentimes sponsored by department stores, they may reinforce the store's brand recognition during the important Christmas shopping season. In Adelaide South Australia a unique Christmas Pageant was introduced. One department Store John Martins put on a Pageant for the children of the city it was completely supported by the company and the participants of the pageant were the staff and family of store. ^**

History

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It is a direct descendant of late Medieval and Renaissance revivals of Roman Triumphs, which had music and banners, wagons filled with the spoils of war, and climaxed with the dux riding in a chariot, drawn by two horses, and thus called the biga. (A quadriga such as surmounts the Brandenburg Gate is drawn by four horses.) Similarly, the climax of a Santa Claus parade is always Santa in his sleigh, drawn by eight reindeer (an octigia). Roman Triumphs were themselves consciously modeled on ceremonies honoring the gods, and Santa Claus himself is the descendant of Saint Nicholas. The Santa Claus parade directly corresponds to the modern triumphal entry of Santa Claus.

Specific parades

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One of the best known Santa Claus parades is the Toronto Santa Claus Parade, held annually near the middle of November in Toronto, Ontario. The Toronto Santa Claus Parade was started in 1905 by the Eaton's department store, with just a single float. It now has over 24 floats, 24 bands, and 1700 participants. It is one of the biggest productions in North America, and is broadcast to many countries around the world.

In New York City the parade is Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade, famous for its giant helium-filled balloons. The parade began in the 1920s, inspired by the Eaton's parade in Canada, with Macy's employees in costume, and— a distinctively Roman touch— animals borrowed from the Central Park Zoo. The giant balloons made an early appearance, with Felix the Cat in 1927. The Macy's Parade was held in abeyance during World War II, from 1942-1945, but even the assassination of President Kennedy a few weeks previously didn't abort the parade in 1963. The inflation of the balloons in the streets flanking the American Museum of Natural History the night before has become a traditional gathering for New York's Upper West Side.

Peoria, Illinois has the longest running Santa Claus Parade in the U.S. The 118th Parade was held November 25, 2005; 1887 marked the first year of the parade, which consisted of boats and derricks coming down the river as part of construction of the new bridge. In 1888, Peoria held a parade through town, celebrating the completion of the new Upper Free Bridge. The following December, Schipper and Block Department Store sponsored a parade that followed the same route and featured Santa Claus. Various attractions in the parade through the years include fireworks, circus wagons, a calliope, live reindeer and numerous parade floats. The parade was first televised in 1958.

Santa Claus Parades are also popular in New Zealand. Major parades are held in Auckland, Wellington, Christchurch and Dunedin.

The Hollywood Christmas Parade in southern California is a seasonal tradition that somewhat competes with the Rose Parade and the Doo Dah Parade.

In Adelaide South Australia The department store John Martin] started the first Christmas pageant in 1933 for the Children of the city. It has run continually missing only 4 years during the war and remains a state institution. The pageant is now owned by the state government and sponsored by the Credit Unions.

Christmas traditions | Parades

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